Battle of Hill 70

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The Battle of Hill 70 took place near the French city of Lens on 15 August and 25 August 1917 and was fought between attacking units of the Canadian Corps under the command of General Arthur Currie and British I Corps (6th Division and 46th Division), and the defending German units of the 7th and 185th Infantry Divisions as well as the 4th Guard Infantry Division.

Hill 70 was a terrain feature rising only fifteen feet over surrounding terrain, located north of Lens, France. The Canadian operation was a diversionary attack to relieve pressure on the city of Lens itself.

Like the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the attack began with a creeping barrage behind which the infantry advanced close behind. By the end of the morning, the Canadians occupied the high ground overlooking Lens, with the remaining objectives in Canadian hands by the end of the next day. Having been asked to capture a much larger area, Currie recognised the importance of this one dominating feature and that German doctrine would result in immediate counter attacks. Using 'Bite and Hold' operational doctrine, the Canadians took only this feature and dug in. During the battle, the Germans counter-attacked numerous times, using mustard gas and flamethrowers, but were beaten off each time at an enormous cost. By the end of the battle, the Canadian Corps had suffered nearly 9,200 casualties.

[edit] Victoria Crosses

Several awards of the Victoria Cross were made for individual acts of heroism during the Battle of Hill 70.

On 15-16 August 1917, a strong German counter-attack was repulsed by the 10th Battalion, CEF and Private Harry Brown, who was killed acting as a courier during this battle, was posthumously awarded the VC. In addition to the VC, three DSOs, seven MCs, nine DCMs and 60 MMs were awarded to men of the Tenth Battalion for this single action.
Private Michael James O'Rourke, 7th Battalion, CEF, Lens, France, 15 - 17 August 1917
Sergeant Frederick Hobson, 20th Battalion, CEF, Lens, France, 18 August 1917
Major Okill Massey Learmonth, 2nd Battalion, CEF, Loos, France, 18 August 1917
Warrant Officer II Class (Company Sergeant Major) Robert Hill Hanna, 29th Battalion, CEF, Lens, France, 21 August 1917
Corporal Filip Konowal of the 47th Battalion, CEF, was the only Ukrainian ever to be awarded the VC. He received the supreme award for his actions at the Lens-Arras Road on 21 August 1917.

[edit] Trivia

The 10th Battalion, CEF awarded no less than sixty Military Medals for Hill 70, giving the 10th Battalion the distinction of winning more medals than any other Canadian combat unit in a single action in the course of the First World War.